8 Best Gmail Alternatives I’ve Tried in 2024

Oct. 21, 2024

While Gmail is the default choice for several users out there, there comes a point where you simply want to try something new. Or, you probably just want to stop relying on the Google ecosystem too much and take a more privacy-focused route. If you can relate and are on the lookout for the best Gmail alternatives, take a look at this comprehensive list that we’ve handpicked!

1. ProtonMail

ProtonMail is a Swiss-made and privacy-friendly alternative to Gmail. It offersend-to-end encryptionand does not require any personal information while creating an email account. Yes, you can choose to not give away your phone number. For security, ProtonMail uses open-source encryption libraries. The company says it uses secure implementations of AES-256 (better known as military-grade encryption), RSA, and OpenPGP.

While you have to opt for the paid version for using all the features, thefree tier offers 500MB of mail storageand a limit of 150 messages per day. For other features, including custom filters, using your own domain, and priority customer support, you can choose the Plus plan that costs$3.99 per month.PROSCONSSolid End-to-End and Zero-access EncryptionFree version offers very limited storageUser-friendly interfacePaid version is economical

If you use Microsoft’s services, you have probably heard of Outlook. In case you haven’t, Outlook is Microsoft’s email offering. Just like Gmail, Outlook hasintegrations with Microsoft’s productivity appssuch as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. However, it is worth mentioning that the free tier of Outlook has ads.

If you want a Gmail alternative that’s organized and lets you manage your emails all too well, Edison Mail is the way to go. Edison Mail is known for being super lightweight and fast. On top of that, there’s a dedicated Focused Inbox mode that automatically identifies important emails and prioritizes them. You also get up to10GBof free storage with Edison Mail, alongside a Smart Assistant that helps you sort through emails like a pro, keep track of your calendar, clean up emails, and more!

Additionally, Edison lets you view and bulk unsubscribe from promotional emails at one go, which is beyond handy. Another important thing to note is thatEdison doesn’t scan its users for advertisingpurposes, making it all the more secure. While the basic version of Edison is free to use and free of ads, there is Edison+ if you want a couple of additional security features. Edison Mail+ starts at$14.99 per monthor $99.99 per year.PROSCONSUnsubscribing to junk made easyPremium is very expensiveSmart Assistant is quite usefulMulti-platform compatibility

AI is everywhere, so why should your email management be left out? Shortwave is the best possible example of integrating AI into your workspace, thanks to what the makers call Ghostwriter. ThisAI assistant lets you summarize emailsand conduct smart searches to save a lot of time.

Moreover, since Shortwave is made by ex-Google folks, you see it retain some of those useful features like snoozing and pinning emails, undoing send, customizing notifications, email categories, and more. All of that easily makes it one of the smartest and best Gmail alternatives.

However, Shortwaveonly works with Google accounts, so there’s that. Besides, since it leverages Google accounts, the storage limit depends on how much storage you have on your Gmail account. Paid plans start at$7 per month, billed annually. Or, if you want to take a monthly approach solely, you can get it for $8.50.

Zoho Mail is another option you can consider if you’re looking for a Gmail alternative. What makes Zoho Mail an attractive choice is that it offers anad-free experience, even for free users. You also get5GB of storagein the free tier, along with access to Zoho’s diverse workplace apps.

Furthermore, Zoho even offers afree plan for small businesseswith up to five users. That is enticing if you are just getting started with your startup and want email hosting for a single domain. You can also opt for Zoho’s Mail Lite, Mail Premium, or Workplace plans for more users and additional features.PROSCONSIntegrates very well with the entire Zoho SuiteNot the most user-friendly interfaceFree version is ad-freeUses TLS and S/MIME security protocols

Tutanota is yet another popular open-source and privacy-focused email service that offers encrypted email service withE2E encryption. The German company stores your encrypted emails in secure data centers in the country and is compliant with GDPR. Like Zoho Mail, Tutanota offers anad-freeexperience for free.

Just like Tuta and Edison Mail, Fastmail doesn’t go through your emails for advertising purposes. On top of that, you get to enjoy top-tierTLS, SSL, and PFS encryptionprotocols, alongside working with YubiKey Nano and YubiKey Standard. It’s also 100% ad-free, and you have complete ownership of your data, unlike on Gmail, where work emails are practically owned by your employer.

Additionally, your emails are masked to hide the IP addresses and offer secure logins. You can access Fastmail not just via the web, but there are dedicated Android and iOS apps in place for it, all of which are said to have phenomenal user interfaces. You also get at least60GB of storage, which you can further expand as per your usage. Users can also create custom domain names as well as multiple aliases with Fastmail.

Now, if you’re willing to take the paid route as well and get one of the best Gmail alternatives, Fastmail is your way to go. However, plans are not too expensive either, starting at just $4.67 per month, costing you$168 billed every 36 months. If you want to take the monthly route, it will set you back $6. In addition, you also get a free trial of 30 days, so there’s that.PROSCONSQuite affordableNo free versionTop-tier security and privacy featuresCustom domain and multiple alias creation

Yahoo might not be as popular as it used to be before, but Yahoo Mail is still a neat alternative to Gmail. One attractive aspect of Yahoo Mail is that it offers a whopping1TB of storageto free users. However, the catch is – the maximum file size for an attachment is 25MB.

Apart from that, you can customize the look and feel of Yahoo Mail with themes. Also, Yahoo Mail lets you manage all your email addresses in one place, use filters, group conversations, view emails by topic, and more. Most importantly, Yahoo mails useTLS encryptionin transit. With all that said, do keep in mind that you will see ads on the free version.PROSCONSStaggering amount of free storage25MB maximum file attachment sizeSecure and reliableToo many adsCustom domain and alias creation

Sagnik is a tech aficionado who can never say “no” to dipping his toes into unknown waters of tech or reviewing the latest gadgets. He is also a hardcore gamer, having played everything from Snake Xenzia to Dead Space Remake.